The present invention relates to non-incursive diagnostic apparatus. More particularly, it relates to image display and recording means for such diagnostic apparatus.
In the art relating to diagnostics, especially in the field of medical diagnostics, means have been provided for examining the interior of a body by measuring the intensity of energy reflected from body members or transmitted through body members. One preferred form of such examination is by the use of ultrasonic pulse energy transmitted into the body member by a scanning transducer, with the sonic energy being reflected by elements within the body and received by the same or similar transducer. In the case of such an ultrasonic scanning system, the body portions examined comprise a fan shaped sector covering for example, an angle of 30 to 75 degrees. The reconstructed image, when displayed, also presents a representation covering an angle of the same 30 to 75 degrees. The width of the angle is a function of the desired scanning angle of the transducer. The display appears as an array of radial lines with each line having portions of variable density depending upon the intensity of the reflected signal. It will be appreciated that, the wider the scan of the transducer, the greater will be the separation between adjacent radial lines. The number of radial lines is a function of the pulse repetition rate of the initiating sonic pulses and the scan frequency of the transducer. In one such system, the relationship was such as to produce 100 radial lines per scan. While the discrete radial lines are adequate to convey the desired medical information to a trained observer, the gaps, or spaces, between the discrete lines presents an undesirable image pattern which is difficult to read.